2013-14 Season Preview Part 3 - The Mid-Table Candidates

Krasnodar

Transfers In:

Ruslan Bolov
Yuri Gazinsky
Gerard Gohou
Artur Jedrzejczyk
Vitali Kaleshin
Ricardo Laborde
Artem Leonov
Marcos Pizzelli

Transfers Out:

Aleksandr Erokhin
Evgenni Gorodov
Vladislav Ignatiev
Nukri Revishvili
Moussa Konate (loan)
Igor Lambarschi (loan)

Krasnodar are another team that has managed to weaken itself over the summer. I'm still not sold on Aleksandr Filtsov as a starting keeper and so the loss of Nukri Revishvili could be a blow to the team's ambitions. Admittedly, Krasnodar have an impressive frontline, including Wanderson and Joaozinho, but I don't believe that this will be enough to overcome the team's overly unimpressive defence. I don't predict that Krasnodar will be openly bad, but they won't impress anyone either, finishing 11th.
Last Season - 10th
Prediction - 11th

Terek Grozny

Transfers In:

Evgenni Gorodov
Evgenni Kobozev
Ivan Temnikov (loan)

Transfers Out:

Musawengosi Mguni
Piotr Polczak
Adlan Katsaev (loan)
Ezechiel N'Douassel (loan)

Terek have not had a particularly poor transfer window, but they haven't managed a particularly good one either. I'm left feeling that this Terek squad will be of roughly the same quality as the one that finished 8th last season, but with Lokomotiv and Rostov both strengthening, we'll see Terek dropping two places to 10th.
Last Season - 8th
Prediction - 10th

Rostov

Transfers In:

Kamil Agalarov
Anton Amelchenko
Bastos
Yoo Byung-Soo
Azim Fatullaev
Igor Lolo
Hrvoje Milic
Zhano Ananidze (loan)
Artem Dzyuba (loan)
Igor Khudobyak (loan)

Transfers Out:

Inal Getigezhev
Isaac Okoronkwo
Andrei Vasiliev (loan)

This Rostov side is a far cry from the one that limped into 12th last season. After undergoing what could be seen as a squad overhaul over the summer, Rostov may have emerged as the surprise package of the 2013-14 season. In addition to impressive permanent moves, Rostov have also brought in two top class performers, Zhano Ananidze and Artem Dzyuba, on loan from Spartak Moscow. I'm tentatively predicting that Rostov will finish in 9th, but don't be surprised to see them scalping a few top 6 sides over the season.
Last Season - 13th
Prediction - 9th

Tom Tomsk

Transfers In:

Mladen Bozovic
Andrei Ivanov
Zhivko Milanov
Gabriel Muresan
Kirill Panchenko
Evgenni Sidorenko
Pavel Ignatovich (loan)
Mikhail Komkov (loan)
Igor Portnyagin (loan)
Vladimir Rykov (loan)

Transfers Out:

Vitali Astakhov
Aleksandr Dimidko
Andrei Gorbanets
Anton Khazov
Viktor Stroev

A club that has strengthened even better than Rostov, Tom Tomsk have brought in a number of RPL veterans and talented players on loans. Despite falling short of the National Football League title last season, Tom Tomsk have improved the squad far better than the other promoted side, Ural, and I predict them to clear the playoff places by finishing 12th.
Last Season - 2nd (National Football League)
Prediction - 12th